Itronics has developed a process that uses its Rock Kleen tailings processing solution to produce nutrient raw materials for its fertiliser product.

In the Rock Kleen mine tailings process, a percentage of the liquid from which metals have been extracted is removed daily and replaced with fresh Rock Kleen liquid.

Testing has shown that after metal extraction, the liquid still contains its nitrogen, sulfur, and potassium content., which is useable as a raw material in its fertiliser.

In July, the company secured a contract to test its tailings processing technology on a major heap leach tailings resource with recoverable silver, gold, zinc and base and ferrous metals.

Preliminary test work completed in 2019 showed the Rock Kleen technology was successful in recovering these metals and that it can produce silver and gold as well as base and ferrous metals.

It also neutralises residual cyanide to below drinking water standards and recovers nitrogen introduced by using ammonium nitrate or urea as a blasting agent to break the rocks in the mining process.